The rest of Hanukkah

Hanukkah is over now, and we had a great time. Thursday we went to the Capitol to watch a rabbi and one of our state legislators light a menorah. We learned that this is only the second year that there's been a menorah lit at our Capitol for Hanukkah. Way to go, Texas! The Capitol had a lot going on. Dad showed me a statue commemorating (or as Mom put it, promoting Southern propaganda regarding) the Civil War, and Mom and Dad chased me on the Capitol lawn. It was nice to run and laugh in such a big field. After that, we went to 37th Street, where we saw lots of bizarre Christmas lights, including a motorcycle, lots of political messages, a zombie, and a cityscape of Austin. It was very Austin, Mom and Dad explained to me.

Last week, when I wasn't feeling great and had to eat simple things that would be easy on my tummy, we discovered that I love toast. Plain old bland toast with nothing on it. Not only do I love the way it tastes, it is fun to munch on a big piece of something larger than my face. Mom can't believe of all the yummy things she makes for me, this is one of the things I like best.

We had a lot of time to relax this weekend. Friday night my friend Clark came over with his Mom and Dad. We had a great time. After dinner we went upstairs to play with all my fun new Hanukkah toys and we laughed at and chased each other. It was great having a friend over to play with. Mom and Dad were very excited about how well I shared my stuff. They said it seems like I'll be a great big brother. I can't wait to see Clark again!

Saturday we went to Tot Shabbat, where we sang lots of fun Hanukkah and Shabbat songs, and Mom and I watched Dad donate blood. We are really proud of him. Sunday we didn't do much, but I did get to play in my sandbox and we went to one of my favorite places - the grocery store. That place gets better every time I go, it seems. This time, not only did they have samples of oranges, which I've been enjoying there all week, they gave me a red balloon when we checked out. You can see how much I liked it in this video. We also have a ton of pictures from the past few weeks.

Hanukkah is fun

Tonight is the fourth night of Hanukkah, and so far we've been having loads of fun celebrating the holiday. Sunday, the first night, we celebrated at our synagogue, where we ate latkes and lots of other yummy food and lit our menorah. I am excited to be able to walk because I was able to take advantage of all the wide open space there. I am getting pretty fast, and I kept Dad and Mom on their toes.

After successfully getting my three stitches taken out Monday (the doctor said everything looks great and is healing well), we went home for night two of Hanukkah. I ate a yummy dinner, then we lit our menorah and I got to open some presents while we listened to some Hanukkah music. I got a train set from Mom and Dad, a puzzle from Bubbe and Papa, a pirate ship from Grandma and Grandpa, and a little piano from Aunt Laurie. I had fun playing with my toys for a little bit before I had to go to bed, but we had a great time playing with them Tuesday. I hear after I went to bed, Mom and Dad had more Hanukkah fun playing dreidel.

Tuesday night was more of the same - more menorah and presents. Tonight we're going to have some homemade latkes, which will mostly be for Dad and Mom since I don't really like them (yet, Dad says). Tomorrow we're going to try to go to the State Capitol building for a menorah lighting and to eat more Hanukkah treats, including sufganiyot, and Friday some friends are coming over for more - you guessed it - latkes. I think Hanukkah is great, and I'm glad we get to celebrate for eight nights!

Cool new toys and Houston

Despite another round of throwing up Friday night, I am still feeling better after my surgery. We went to Houston this weekend to visit some friends of Dad's, and I had a good time playing with one of the other family's kids. It was a nice opportunity to try out our new car on a road trip (it did great and so did I - I slept the whole way there and almost the whole way back since Mom and Dad wisely timed the car ride to coincide with my nap time) and I got to visit a cool playground while we were there.

I've also been having fun with some new toys. Mom and Dad got a big freezer as an early Hanukkah gift from Grandma and Grandpa, but I'm the one who really lucked out because I got the box! Mom turned it into a little house for me. We put it in my big boy room and I think it's a cool hideout.

Also, my friend John moved to China a few days ago and the night before my surgery, his parents gave us a bunch of his toys, including this fantastic...get ready for it, Grandpa...tool bench! It came with a lot of fun tools and I've been having a great time whacking things with them. Peanut also got lucky because John took his sister Betsy with him when he moved, so his mom gave us a lot of her clothes for my new little sister to wear when she's born. We'll miss John, Betsy and their family, but we are looking forward to hearing about all their exciting new adventures (and thank them for giving us all this cool loot!).

Feeling better after surgery

Tuesday we picked up where we left off with the red bump on my face. First thing in the morning, we headed to a dermatologist's office. She was very nice but thought a pediatric surgeon would be able to do a better job helping me. So a few hours later we headed downtown for an appointment at the surgeon's office that she recommended.

Both the dermatologist and the nurse practitioner we saw at the surgeon's office agreed that the bump was a pyogenic granuloma that needed to come off as soon as possible. Mom and Dad had to decide whether to have it done while I was awake, in the dermatologist's office, or while I was asleep, with the surgeon. The doctors recommended doing it while I was asleep so I wouldn't be as scared and so the doctor could do it more thoroughly and carefully while I sat still.

They scheduled my surgery for first thing Wednesday morning, so we got up much earlier than usual so we could get there by 6am. I got to wear my pajamas and take my duck, but I couldn't have anything to eat or drink before we got there. It was a pretty weird experience. Mom and Dad were pretty shaken up and not feeling well, but I was very brave. When the nurse took me away from Mom and Dad I didn't even cry. The surgery didn't take very long. In less than an hour, I was back with Mom and Dad, which we were all very happy about. It went as well as it possibly could have, and about an hour after they finished, I was home playing with my toys like nothing had happened.

One funny coincidence about all this is I appeared with my surgeon in a newspaper article Mom wrote last year. To read about my doctor, Mark Smith, and see me in the article, click here.

We'll have to go back to the doctor's office Monday to have my stitches removed, and after that we should be all done with this. We are all glad they don't have to mess with tape and gauze on my face and that I'm not bleeding everywhere anymore. Most of all, we're all glad I'm okay.

New Parenting Opportunities

Dad has an on-going joke at work that whenever he wants to give someone a lot of work, he calls it an "opportunity." Well, this weekend Mom and Dad had some new parenting opportunities.

It started on Friday night. A little red dot on my face near my neck appeared around a month ago and has grown slowly since then. On Friday afternoon, it caught on my coat and started bleeding everywhere. While I was perfectly happy and not in any pain, it distressed Mom and Dad quite a bit to see me running around with blood pouring out of my face, all over my clothes, the carpet, the walls, and everywhere else. Mom and Dad tried to stop the bleeding, but after a few unsuccessful hours, we all went to the doctor's office. Unfortunately, there was only a nurse-practitioner there, and she wasn't very helpful - she did help stop the bleeding by taping some gauze on the wound. All she could tell my parents was that we needed to see a pediatric dermatologist. Unfortunately, there is only one in all of Austin, and they probably can't see us until January, so tomorrow I'm going to the regular dermatologist, who also sees kids.

Sunday we met up with my cousin Amy for lunch at Chuy's, gauze on my face and all. Amy and her friend Adam were very nice. It was a nice day so we ate outside and were having a very pleasant lunch until a bird pooped in Mommy's food. It even splashed on Daddy's face. Amy said it was good luck but Mom and Dad weren't so sure.

When we got home, I decided I didn't like my lunch so much after all, and projectile vomited all over the inside of the new car. It was my first real throw up! I tried to hold it 30 more seconds until we got out of the car, but I couldn't make it. Oh well. Mom and Dad tried to clean me up in my bath, but that resulted in the gauze coming off and I started bleeding everywhere again. While Mom and Dad were trying to stop the bleeding, our dog Peepa saw the open garage door and took off to explore the neighborhood. Luckily, some nice people in the neighborhood found Peepa and returned her to our house before we even knew she was gone. They were probably pretty concerned when Mom showed up at the door with barf and blood all over her.

This morning, Mom and Dad tried to figure out how to put the car seat back together; they had to take it apart to clean it. The car still smelled, so Mom had more cleaning to do - Dad wondered if it will ever be the same and says this is why he doesn't buy new cars very often.

In the meantime, I have this gauze on my face. It doesn't bother me at all - I've been really happy the past few days - except when they have to take it off. That tape hurts when they rip it off, but Mom and I found some new tape today that shouldn't hurt. And I surprised Mom this afternoon by barfing again, this time in my playpen, which was easier to clean up.

Mom and Dad feel like this was a pretty challenging weekend. They are hoping they don't have any more parenting "opportunities" over the next few weeks and that I start feeling better soon.

I like coloring

Since it has been cold the past couple of days, Mom and I have stayed inside. We've been getting our house and our stuff ready for Peanut's arrival, which is now just four months away. One of the things we picked up is a new big kid seat that makes it so I can sit at the dinner table with Dad and Mom when Peanut needs my high chair. Mom set it up for me so I could color, and you can see I'm working on a masterpiece. Mom and Dad are excited that I finally figured out how to work crayons.

Here are some pictures of me playing in a playground (before it got cold), coloring, and checking out my new car.

New ride

Today we had another big adventure. After I ate breakfast we headed to a car dealership, where we test drove another Mazda5. This time we ended up bringing it home with us! I really dig my new ride. It is nice because I'm higher up and can see more things out the window. Mom likes it because she has more room for my things and eventually, my new sister. And Dad is a little sad because he gave up his car for Mom's Protege5, but he's happy to have have cars that will work for our growing family. I'm excited that I'm riding in style in our new car.

Otherwise, we've had a pretty eventful week since we came home from Pennsylvania. Wednesday Mom and I celebrated my new walking skills on Austin soil by walking to the mailbox, which we've since made a daily event. We also went to the playground where I climbed through a tunnel a bunch of times, played with some spinny things, climbed up a playscape, and went down a slide. But my favorite thing has been playing in my sandbox. And now I walk wherever I can when we go out, at places like the grocery store and even the car dealership. It's been a lot of fun walking around, and I am really enjoying my shoes.

Happy Thanksgiving

To celebrate Thanksgiving, we traveled to Pennsylvania to see Grandma, Grandpa, and all our other family there. We had a great week.

The plane ride went well. We had a row to ourselves and I got a nice nap in. Once we got there it was cold outside but warm inside thanks to Grandma, who turned up the heat for us. We were also welcomed to the house with loads of fun toys to play with. My favorites were a green tunnel I could crawl through and Grandma's Tupperware. I also really liked their Duplo blocks. By the end of the trip I figured out that not only are they fun to pull apart - you can put them together. Grandma and Grandpa also took me for wagon rides and I got to push on a big rock and roll down a little hill. Grandma also took us to Peters Orchard, where I saw big pumpkins.

Another neat thing about our trip was I got to stay up late because of the time change. Mom and Dad didn't want to adjust my schedule so they kept me up an hour later, which was nice for all of us because we got to sleep in an extra hour. Dad also saved some time by growing a beard. Even though Mom likes it, he says he's shaving it off before he goes back to work Wednesday.

A couple days after we arrived, Dad went with Grandpa and Uncle Daniel to check out a brewery and a hockey game and I got to hang out with Grandma, Aunt Lauren and Mom. They took me to a mall and got me something new - shoes! I didn't like them at first because it was late in the day and I was tired, but the next day I really put them to good use. They are fantastic! They make it much easier to walk; since I got them, I've been walking much more. I'm also getting a lot faster. Mom and Dad are super excited. They can't wait to take me to fun new places in Austin now that I can really enjoy them on my feet.

The best part about the trip was all the people I got to spend time with. I got to see Mom Mom and Pop, my great-grandparents, and lots of fun aunts, uncles and cousins, including Mianna, who is five, and Luke, who is about my age. It was very fun playing with all of them. I also got to chase a bunch of cats around on Grandma's cat farm. Grandpa said maybe next time I come there will be a dog for me to play with. That will be fun. I missed Matty and Peepa.

Thanksgiving was very yummy, and I got to try lots of new foods like pies, turkey, stuffing, corn casserole and cornbread, cranberry dressing. We had lots of great food. Grandma made all kinds of things for us to eat and Grandpa fried a turkey. But don't worry - Grandma had another one in the oven.

To see photos of my fun Thanksgiving week, click here.

When I'm a big brother...

...I'm going to have a little sister!

That's right. Today Mom, Dad and I all went to Mom's doctor's office. We sat down and watched a computer screen on the wall. The show that was on starred our baby! It was very cool. I'm not feeling great, so it was hard for me to sit still, but we got to see that the baby is a little girl who is very healthy. Mom and Dad say that's good for me because little sisters are fun to pick on.

My new sandbox

This weekend, Dad and Mom (mostly Dad) slaved away and built me a great new play area in our backyard. They hauled away rotten old railroad ties, pulled millions of tough little weeds out of the ground, cleaned up a bunch of old gravel, and put new edging and gravel down. The icing on the cake though, is they filled up the sandbox Bubbie and Papa gave me back in July for my first birthday.I am so excited. It's like my very own sand pit in our yard. Unfortunately, it's been cold here this week and now I'm sick. So I haven't put it to much use yet. As soon as I'm better and we aren't in the middle of a cold front, I'll be out there. To see some photos of my first time out there, click here.

I've also been walking a lot more - with my alligator toy and without - and surprised Mom the other day by crawling up onto a shelf.

Bubbe recorded some video of my moving and shaking the other week when she and Papa were in Austin. To see some of the fun we had, click here.

November visit

Bubbe and Papa came to visit me this weekend. It has been a few months since they've seen me, so I got to surprise them with all the new things I can do. Mom and Dad took advantage of the free baby-sitting opportunity by working out in the yard all weekend to prepare a place for the sandbox that Bubbe and Papa gave me for my birthday. That left me a lot of time to play with Bubbe and Papa. They read to me, chased me around, and I got to show them my new big boy room that I'll be moving into sometime in the next few months.

They also brought me some fun clothes, including another cute Halloween costume, and some new books and toys. I am excited about all my fun new loot.

On Saturday morning, Mom and Dad took a break from the yard work and we all went to go see our farmer Miguel. Miguel had lots of good food for us, and it is nice to walk now that the weather has cooled off a little. After we got home, I took a nap and ate some lunch, then Bubbe and Papa took me outside to my swing so we could all watch Mom and Dad work. It was the best weather I've ever seen here. The weekend went by really fast. It sure was a fun visit. I can't wait to see them again.

After Bubbe and Papa left this afternoon, I surprised Mom and Dad with some new moves. I started really using my alligator walking toy and taking a few steps here and there on my own a couple weeks ago, but this past week I really started taking some major steps forward. Dad says it's a giant leap for mankind. Anyway, I made them happy by walking more this afternoon and then really shocked them by climbing up on my big boy bed all by myself! They say it's exciting and scary all at the same time. I don't know what they're talking about - I just think it's fun.

You can see pictures of our great weekend here.

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween everyone! I have had a terrific Halloween week. It started when my parents volunteered to babysit my 2-year-old friend Elizabeth. She was really fun to play with and we even went on a wagon ride together. I liked watching her walk around and talk to my parents. I can't wait to be two years old.

On Tuesday, Mom and a friend took me to a pumpkin farm in Marble Falls. We had a lot of fun. The best parts of the trip were taking a hay ride, looking at goats and eating a fresh strawberry popsicle. Mom thought I was funny because the whole time I ate the popsicle I made little mmmm noises and when it was gone, I screamed my head off. Who could blame me? It was the most delicious (aka sugary) thing I've ever eaten.

The trip was also fun because we finally turned my car seat around so I am facing forward. I have to say that it makes the car rides much more enjoyable. I like seeing where I'm going instead of where I've been. It's also fun looking at Mom in the front seat when she's driving.

Now that its starting to get cold, Mom made me a little hat. It has cute little ears so it is kind of like a Halloween hat. Mom is getting really good at sewing. I like my hat.

This morning, Mom and I went to a Halloween party. I was excited to have another opportunity to wear my shark costume and I got to crawl around with lots of new friends. Their names are giraffe, Yoda, sock monkey and space man. I was also happy to share some yummy pumpkin bread and pumpkin dip with Mom.

This afternoon we visited Dad at work because his company had a Halloween party. It was neat. I got to crawl all around his office and see lots of other kids in their costumes. And we got to go trick or treating at lots of different tables they had set up. Mom and Dad haven't given me my share of the candy yet though. They say they're "investing" it for me. There were also games, like pulling plastic ducks out of a pool. I did really good at that one. It was quite a party. Dad is lucky that he gets to just play all day long like that. That was probably my last chance to wear my excellent Halloween shark costume this year. We sure got a lot of good use out of it.

Here are pictures from all of my Halloween fun.

Playing in the Sand

This week was full of new surprises. Monday night Mom decided it was time to transition me from my little tub in the kitchen sink to the normal bathtub. We waited this long because Mom and Dad have bad knees and thought it'd be hard to take care of me in the tub. Anyway, the first night didn't go so well - I cried and clung to Mom the whole time - but each night I liked it a little more. The past couple of nights I've had a great time playing with my toys, so tonight for the first time, Mom and Dad put me in all by myself. I loved it! I played with my toys, splashed and kicked my feet the whole time. It's great.

Tuesday we went to Mayfield Park to have our photos taken. The park was great - colorful peacocks watched us the whole time, and it gave me something fun to look at while Mom and her friend tried to get me to sit still.

The next day we went to story time at the library. I was a little nervous with all the kids and moms around, so I snuggled Mom and then curled up like a turtle on the ground and tried to hide from them. After a while, I started crying so we left. I think I will like it more next time. We had a better time after I woke up from my nap. We met my friend Ellie and her mom at Champion Park, where we played in a giant sand pit! I was happy to see Ellie and the pit was fantastic. I loved feeling the sand drizzle through my fingers and it was fun crawling around in it. The other cool thing about the pit is that dinosaur bones are hidden in the sand. Mom couldn't believe how much I liked it and says it's a good thing Bubbie and Papa got me a sandbox for my birthday. Now Mom just needs to set it up for me.

I had a hard time sleeping Thursday night and Mom was tired, so at 2:00, she gave up trying to get me back to sleep in my crib and brought me to bed with her. Since she thought I'd fall out of her bed, we went to sleep together in my new big boy bed. It was pretty exciting. I fell asleep right away and did great the rest of the night but Mom says I'm a bed hog because I turned sideways and took all the space.

Friday started out a little sad. A tree in our front yard died, so some guys came to cut it down. We were bummed to see the tree go, but it was fun watching them work. The afternoon was better because we went to a party at Dad's office. Everybody liked watching me crawl around and I had a good time eating a banana, pointing out the holes in their childproofing, sneaking up behind people and grabbing their feet.

So far this weekend has been just as fun as the rest of the week. We took a nice walk in the cool weather and visited our farmer Miguel this morning. This afternoon we went party hopping. The first stop was a birthday party for my friend Haley, where I had a great time playing in some sand and in a teepee. It was also neat because I got to wear my Halloween costume - I dressed up as a shark - and eat blueberries and cheese. We wrapped up our day at a pumpkin carving party but we had to leave before the main event because I was tired out. I did have time to eat some grilled cheese sandwiches though, so it was worth it.

To see some pictures of my fun-filled week, including the sand pit, my shark costume and the bathtub, click here.

Jumping bean

My parents took this video of me in the morning.

15 month doctor's appointment

I had my 15 month doctor's visit today. Wow - I really don't like going to the doctor. Today, I let everyone in the office know it. I even freaked Mom and Dad out a little bit with how vocal I was about my dislike of the doctor. Of course, by the time we were leaving the office, I was back to my normal happy self.

Today, I got three shots (yuck), but I also found out I have been going through a huge growth spurt. Must be all of the yummy food Mom and Grandma gave me last week. I weigh 23 lbs, 3 ounces (25th percentile!) and am 29.5 inches tall (10th percentile). My head size is 46.5 cm (25th percentile). You can see a detailed growth chart by clicking on the chart to the left or clicking the one on the right side of the blog.

We are all relieved that the visit is over.

Dinner with friends

Having Dad back has been great. Today, since the weather was so nice, Mom, Dad, and I took the dogs to the dog park. We took a really long walk, and I got to ride on the swings. Matty and Peepa seemed very happy to be outside. When we got back, Mom and Dad really mixed up our routine by giving me an early bath. I cried some to let them know that they had forgotten to feed me dinner, but they hadn't really. They were just getting me ready to go out to eat. We met up with Dad's cousins Chuck and Kim for dinner at Chuy's. Mom and Dad love Chuy's Tex-Mex, and they thought I would like a Chuy's taco, but I was still a little overwhelmed from the day's activities. Mom and Dad seemed happy enought to take my leftovers home - maybe I'll like the tacos more tomorrow. It was very nice to see Chuck and Kim again - I hadn't seen them since I was very little.

Grandma is fun

Dad went to Portland, Oregon, this week for work but Grandma saved the week by coming to visit. We had a blast! Grandma played with me, read to me a lot, and gave me loads of kisses and yummy barbeque from Rudy's. We also did a lot of shopping. We had lots of things to find because she and Mom were getting my big boy bedroom ready for me. I won't sleep in there for a while, but Mom says for now we can play and read in there, and eventually we'll take naps in my new bed together. So far it's a fun room, and Mom says I'll have lots of fun adventures in there one day. I like crawling around, looking at all the colors, and I've already tried out jumping on the bed. Grandma did a good job. She left today and we miss her already.

Yesterday was really exciting when Daddy came back. I looked at pictures of him all week while he was gone, but it's nowhere near as good as the real thing. Today we celebrated his homecoming and some nice, cool weather by taking Peepa and Matty to the park. Mom and I are glad he's home.

You can see pictures of my visit with Grandma and my fun day with Dad today here.

Cold

This morning Mom and I tried to leave the house but we had to go back inside to change our clothes because it was COLD (probably 80 degrees). Luckily, Mom hit a consignment sale over the weekend where she found some cool clothes for me to wear this winter, so I was ready. It was fun remembering what socks are - I haven't worn those in at least six months. Here you can see a picture of me in one of my fun new outfits.

I've also been a little under the weather with a cold this week and I had to go to the doctor yesterday. I didn't like it much, but the good news is she told Mom and Dad to give me popsicles. Dad gave me one with dinner last night, and he said it was like I've been eating them all my life because I knew just what to do with it. Yum!

Breakfast with Dad

Mom had to work this morning, so I got to spend some more quality time with Dad. This morning, we went to Hoovers, a delicious home-style breakfast place in Austin. I got my very own buttermilk pancake. We met up with some of Dad's friends that I haven't seen since I was a few months old. It was a fun breakfast, but Dad was so concerned with not forgetting my toys, bib, and other things that he forgot the leftover blueberry pancakes. Dad, I am very disappointed. Here are a few pictures.

L'Shanah Tovah

Today we observed Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. I got to try some special holiday food Mom made - brisket (thanks Grandma for the great recipe!), potatoes, and apple kugel (a noodle dish with apples and cream cheese) - for the first time. Yum! We also went to the children's service and tashlich, where we threw bread crumbs into a creek, at our temple. Mom and Dad said they'll explain what all this means when I'm older, but for now I had a good time seeing all the other kids and hanging out outside. I hope everyone has a sweet new year.

On the moon

This weekend was full of fun. Saturday we went to the moon. Well, maybe not the moon exactly, but a place that looked a lot like the moon, McKinney Falls State Park. Since we've had such a drought, there wasn't much water or falls, but that just gave us more land to get to walk over. We hiked around, saw holes in the rock that Mom said might be dinosaur tracks and found some ruins of a 150-year-old grist mill that was washed away in a flood in 1869. Peepa and Matty got to come and Mom and Dad were impressed with the rough terrain I could handle in my jogging stroller. They can't wait to come back with Peanut and me when we're older. Maybe next time there will even be water so we can swim in the falls!

This morning we went to mom's friend's house, where we sang lots of songs about things like spiders and a wagon ride, danced, and then had some snacks and played outside. I got to see some friends I've met before and I made some new ones. It was great and I can't wait to go back again soon!

You can see pictures of our trip here.

Big News

Mom and Dad gave me some exciting news today. I am going to be a big brother. While I'm not exactly sure what that means, they assure me that I will be up to the task. So far I've been able to glean that I will be getting a little brother or sister, though no one knows which. For now we're calling him or her Peanut. I am not sure how this new little present will arrive, though I have included an illustration I found on the Internet that I think explains the process.

They say all this is going to happen in the middle of April, around Mom's birthday. Here's a picture of Peanut. Right now, he or she is upside down.

Starting to cool off

The weather here is finally starting to cool off. In Austin, that means it's been in the 80s. It also means we can start to play outside more often. Today, Mom and Dad took me to the Arboretum where I got to crawl around in the grass. I was a little nervous at first, but after a few tentative starts, I figured out that grass is really fun. Mom and Dad got some ice cream and I got to hang out with some giant cows.

Mom and Dad took me on lots of walks this week as well. Yesterday Dad took me in my wagon with Matty to go get sno-cones. It was a fun walk, but when we got there, we found the sno-cone place was closed. Disappointing.

I surprised Mom with a new trick this week. She put me down in my playpen for a minute, and I managed to take my diaper off without taking off my pants. She still hasn't figured out how I did it. I would tell her, but a magician never reveals his secrets.

Mom and Dad are also excited that I'm starting to eat more things. I have been eating lots of eggs with cheese and even some veggies - green beans and zucchini. They say if I keep eating things that are green, I will grow. We'll see about that.

Here are some pictures from my outings to the parks this week.

Surprises

Today was full of surprises. First, when we woke up, it was very cool outside - around 70 degrees! Mom was so happy, after breakfast, she put me in the car. I was surprised to see Matty looking over the back of the seat at me. I thought it was pretty funny. Next, we drove downtown to Pease Park, where we took a nice, long walk. Matty liked being off his leash so much, he ran right into the muddy creek. Peepa didn't get to come with us because Mom says she doesn't have enough hands to handle all three of us at once, plus Peepa is crazy, so I'm hoping Peepa can make it next time.

We all hope it stays this cool for a while! It's great!

Who needs parents?

Last week I got a package in the mail. It turned out it was from Oma, some covers for my crib rails that I like to chew on. I'm sad I can't chew the wood anymore, but Mom says it's for the best and they are good to hang on to while I jump in there. Plus they make my nursery look nice. Thanks Oma!

I've also been having a good time throwing things (especially out of playpen) lately. Everyone says I'm going to be a pitcher one day. Dad says if I want to do that, I need to work on being left handed.

The really exciting thing that happened this week was that we went to Pennsylvania again to visit Grandma and Grandpa. I love seeing them, and this time was no exception. They always have lots of yummy food, fun toys, and great hugs for me. This trip was a little different because Mom and Dad went to a wedding in Philadelphia so they left me with Grandma and Grandpa for a night. It was their first night without me. They were nervous, but I was really proud of how they handled it. While they were gone, I had a blast. I hung out with my cousins Amy and Mianna. Mianna, who is five years old, was especially nice to me. I also got to play with Little One, Grandma's cat, Aunt Lauren, Uncle Daniel, Great-Grandma B and Mom-Mom and Pop. Grandma and Grandpa also took me to Grandpa's company picnic, where I got to meet lots of new people, made lots of friends, and got a cool puzzle to play with at home. I was a little shy at first, but after a little while, I really opened up and enjoyed it. Grandma gave me lots of yummy chicken to eat.

It was a fun trip, but we had to come back to Austin today. Mom and Dad said I did great on the airplane again. It was also nice to see Matty and Peepa. While Little One was nice, Mom thinks I'm more of a dog-baby.

Mom and Dad didn't take very many pictures of me this weekend since they were in Philadelphia. Hopefully, I'll get some pictures from Grandma and Grandpa soon to post. In the meantime, here are some pictures of me in Austin before we left, and some pictures Mom and Dad took during their time in Philadelphia.

What was Mom thinking?!

I don't know what Mom was thinking last week. You can see what she tried giving me for lunch Thursday - rice with tofu and mixed veggies. She knows I don't like those veggies or rice, so I have no idea why she even tried that. My friend Elan's mom told her he likes tofu, so she thought she'd see if I liked it too. I don't know why she even tried - it's so gross! You can see in the photo what I thought of it. Needless to say, Dad ate it for lunch over the weekend.

Here are some pictures of all my fun food adventures this week - tofu, blueberry smoothies, pancakes, and macaroni and cheese - and the aftermath, in the tub.

Messy Eater

We had another hot but great weekend, and I ate a lot of blueberries. Mom made Dad and me blueberry smoothies - you can see from the picture that I wound up wearing a lot of it. This morning, Mom made me blueberry buttermilk pancakes with bananas! It was great.

The other exciting thing we did this weekend was test drive a Mazda5, a mini-minivan. We hope to not need a new car for a while, but want to have something in mind when we do need it. I don't know what Mom and Dad thought of it, but I liked that I could really see out the window. It was also fun thinking of all the stuff I could bring along in a bigger car. Hopefully we'll test some more cars out soon.

Out with the old, in with the new

This weekend was out with the old, in with the new. Saturday I turned 13 months old, and it was our last day of nursing. Mom is a little sad, but she and Dad are proud of how big I'm getting.

Saturday afternoon, we visited some friends and their one-month-old baby. Mom and Dad forgot how different it was when I was that little. It made them really glad I can do all the cool things I can do now. Mom held the baby while Dad held me. For a second I was okay with it, but as soon as the baby cried, I realized I didn't like it. Mom said she never heard me cry so hard, and she gave the baby back right away. After a little bit, I calmed down and was back to my usual self. They say I have some work to do if I'm ever going to get a little brother or sister.

Later that day was more fun. We met some new friends, who have the same last name as ours, at a pool. Their family has three boys, who are bigger than I am - they are 4, 6 and 8 years old. After the pool, we went to their house for dinner, where I climbed up some steps, tried a Hawaiian sweet roll and surprised everyone with a diaper explosion. Mom and Dad had a good time watching the other kids and said it was fun imagining what it would be like to have three of me, but older. I was excited because I got to stay up a bit later than usual.

Today we celebrated the end of nursing by heading over to Kerbey Lane for breakfast. I was still kind of tired from being up later than usual Saturday, but it was fun anyway, and I was happy to have peach pancakes for breakfast.

We have had a lot more time to do fun things because I don't want to take a nap in the afternoon anymore. We've had a really good routine over the last few months with a morning and afternoon nap, but I don't want my routine to turn into a rut. Mom and Dad might get bored.

For some recent photos of my recent crib-chewing, bubble-blowing, teeth-brushing, rain-grabbing, pancake-eating adventures, click here. Note where Peepa is in the pictures of me in my highchair. That's her new favorite place.

Take that, crib!

Since Mom came home last week, we have been busy and I've expanded my culinary repertoire.

Last week we had red day, when I tried raspberries (YUCK!), cherries (delicious!) and applesauce with blueberries (yum). Then on Tuesday, we went to one of Mom's favorite restaurants, Kerbey Lane, with my friend Kanai and his mom. It turns out Tuesday is "Kids Eat Free Day," and I tried something fantastic - my very own raspberry pancakes! I can't believe how good they are. Since then, Mom made some pancakes with bananas, and they were good too. She also introduced me to things she eats, like vegetable stir fry, veggie yakisoba, and my favorite, macaroni and cheese, which she says played a major role in making her the woman she is today. I can see why - it is great! I plan to eat a lot more cherries, pancakes and macaroni and cheese. I've also begun eating avocado again, which makes Dad and Mom happy, since there aren't any other vegetables I'll touch (except to throw on the floor for Matty and Peepa) right now.

This Monday morning Mom and I were upstairs when we heard a weird noise. Mom got really excited and we ran outside, where she said she had something to show me - rain! It was like a shower outside! You know how I like anything that sprays, and I had a good time sticking my hand in it. Since we only had about five minutes to enjoy it before the rain went away as fast as it showed up, Mom was glad she took advantage of the opportunity and showed it to me. She said it seems like we may never see it again.

I've also been keeping Mom and Dad busy with additional Mitch-proofing. Now that I am crawling around and standing up, I can really get into a lot more stuff. This weekend, Dad installed a magnetic knife strip in the kitchen to keep all of the sharp knives out of my reach. He also installed locks on file cabinets. Mom and Dad keep moving things to higher shelves, but I'm going to keep growing - they can't keep this stuff away from me forever, plus I'm getting better at searching out the things they try to hide from me.

The other major thing that's new is going on in my mouth. The first molar I've been working on is coming out a little more, and three more are poking through! I'm getting better and better at brushing my teeth, and Dad said if I hurry up and push the teeth out, he'll give me some brisket to chew on. I can't wait to try it! In the meantime, I will just keep chewing on my crib when Mom puts me down for a nap. As you can see in this picture, I've been giving woodchucks a run for their money.

Hanging with Dad

Mom went out of town this weekend for a wedding, so Dad and I got to spend some quality time together. This is the longest I've been left alone with Dad, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Wow - what a great weekend we've had.

I woke up Friday morning to find Mom gone. What a surprise! But Dad took the day off work, and was happily there to greet me in the morning with a delicious breakfast of bananas and cereal. After some tooth brushing, playing, reading, and my morning nap, we were off to explore Austin.

We started by visiting our library and the very strange and scary statues. Then we visited one of Mom's favorite places, Amy's Ice Cream. They have a pretty fountain there and lots of cows. I've learned a lot about cows through my farm animal toys and books. From there we visited the 360 bridge, one of the most famous sites in Austin. We stopped to admire the view at Mount Bonnell, and then learned all about Texas at the Capitol. We were pretty pooped, but we stopped on the way home to visit our neighborhood sno-cone vendors. I took a long nap in the afternoon, and we had an uneventful evening.

Saturday, we went to one of my Dad's favorite places to eat, Freebirds Burritos. We met up with Dad's friend Jaime, who fed me lunch while Dad ate his burrito. I tried some new foods. Dad brought sweet potato french fries, which were yummy. He also gave me a bite of some of his burrito - a piece of lettuce and a very small piece of chicken. I like them both. Mostly though, I just ate cheese and some cereal puffs. It was a really good lunch.

As much fun as Dad and I have had this weekend, I am excited to see Mom again. Its more fun when we're all here together. I've posted pictures from my adventures with Dad.

Getting picky

I am getting choosier about the food I eat. Mom says I’m picky, but I keep telling her I'm just refining my palate. From meal to meal, the things I like and dislike change. I let Mom and Dad know what I don’t want by making a disgusted face, picking the offending food up and crushing it in my hand, then sticking my arm out, turning my hand over, and depositing it on the floor. I figure after it’s been there, she won’t try to give it to me again, and Peepa and Matty are glad that I share with them.

As a result of this process, Mom’s been giving me lots of new things to try. So far, I’ve had scrambled eggs with cheese (liked it the first time I had it, but not after that until lunch today), a meatball (hated it – wouldn’t even swallow it), vanilla yogurt (At first I thought - yuck! But today at lunch I ate a whole bowl of it), dried strawberries (yum!), and I’ve been drinking lots of whole milk (I decided I like it after all). Right now the only things I really have been enjoying consistently are bananas, cereal, cheese and applesauce.

I've also been having a good time showing Mom and Dad how much new stuff I can figure out, like opening the tv cabinet from my playpen, chewing a chunk of wood out of my crib, throwing sopping wet washcloths out of my bathtub at Dad and grabbing stuff off the table next to my high chair.

Tuesday Mom and I visited my friend Ellie. After we were there a little bit, Mom left so she could go work. I didn’t mind. I played with Ellie and all her fun toys and took a nice nap. It was fun! When I woke up, Mom was back. We had some lunch, then went down the street with Ellie and her mom, Suzanne, to the sprinkler park. I love the sprayer in the sink, where I take my bath, and the sprayer on the hose outside, and this was even better. There were many colorful, gigantic sprayers everywhere. It is a great way to cool down on a hot day. I can’t wait to see Ellie and the water park again soon!

Yesterday I had another chance to play with someone other than Mom and Dad. My new friend Marta came to hang out with me while Mom went to work again. We had a dance party, I showed Marta all my toys, we made fish faces and she read my books to me. It was a great afternoon!

This morning I was a little grumpy because my molar, which finally cut through my gums, was bothering me. Mom said it would be good to have a change of scenery, so we loaded up the wagon and Matty and headed down to the library. It was not open yet when we got there, but we had a great walk anyway. Lots of people smiled and waved at us, including a policeman, and a guy yelled out his car window, “That’s a nice looking wagon!” I guess he liked my new birthday canopy. There’s no end to the fun we have around here!

One year checkup

Today was a big day for me. I had my one year checkup at the doctor's office. It went really well - the doctor said I'm happy and healthy. Mom and Dad are really excited to hear that. The doctor told us I weigh 19 pounds, 10 ounces. I'm 27.75 inches tall and my head is 46 cm around.

The first yucky part of the visit was the cold table. I didn't like it. It made me cry and Mom said she'll bring a blanket for me next time. I also didn't like getting my shots, but Dad and Mom said they're for the best in the long run. I guess I just have to believe them.

The great part of the visit was all the fun stuff the doctor said I can do and try now. She said I can eat anything, including cows' milk, but shellfish and nuts. I tried some cows' milk with lunch today, and I'm not sure how I like it. At first I gulped it down, then started spitting it out. I've been having a great time spitting food out at Mom and Dad lately, and they still aren't sure what to make of it. I also had some cottage cheese, which I liked better.

The doctor also pointed out how much more I'll be getting into things in the next few months, and that Dad and Mom better get serious about babyproofing. When we got home, Mom put the knives in the cupboard, so when I'm tall enough to reach them, I won't be able to find them. The doctor also said it's time for me to start coloring, which is convenient because our friend Janie gave me some big crayons and a tablet for my birthday. When we got home, Mommy tried to show me how to use them, but I'm not sure I'm ready yet.

If you want to see how I measure up, check my latest growth chart by clicking on it on the right side of the blog.

One is Fun

This weekend I got to celebrate my third first birthday party. I love birthdays! The highlight of the weekend was that Bubbe and Papa visited. They hadn't seen me in a few months, and they were really surprised at how much I've changed since April. They were impressed with my crawling, eating, and general playfulness. I was sure happy to them again. They brought a bunch of presents with them too - a sandbox (which we won't set up until it cools down outside a little bit), fun books, and new toys . My Aunt Laurie also sent a rocking horse, which looks really fun.

While Bubbe and Papa were in Austin, we decided to eat out some. We went to Hut's Hamburgers, one of Mom and Dad's favorite places. I tried guacamole for the first time and really liked it. In fact, it was my first time ever trying tomatoes. So far, I like what I've tasted of them. We sat near the entrance of Hutt's, and I made sure to wave at everyone coming into and leaving the restaurant.

The next day we went to Whole Foods. Bubbe and Papa were pretty impressed with the selection there. I had a delicious lunch with everyone and we got some cute pictures while we were there.

Bubbe and Papa got to spend some quality alone time babysitting me while Mom and Dad went out to dinner. I'm sure they appreciated that. Mom and Dad also took on a new project this weekend since they had some spare time - they built a new fence in the backyard to make better accommodate our dogs. Peepa is still trying to figure out a way to get through the new fence.

Before Bubbe and Papa left, we all went swimming at their hotel pool. I got to show them how much I love to swim. Clearly, my swimming lessons have paid off, because they were very impressed.

On the last night, we had another birthday party with lots of decorations, and I even had my own banana bread. While everyone was taking pictures of me, I broke out a new expression just for the camera. I crinkle my nose, squint my eyes, and make a silly grin. Mom and Dad aren't sure what to make of my new camera face, but Bubbe thought it was hilarious.

I was really sad to see Bubbe and Papa leave, but my parents tell me we'll see them again soon.

You can see pictures of my weekend here.

Celebrate!

Today is my first birthday, and I learned that birthdays are lots of fun. I started today with a birthday banana, which turned out to be pretty much like the bananas I have for breakfast every morning. Mom read me all the funny e-cards and e-mail messages I got, and then things started getting really interesting after I woke up from my morning nap.

While I was sleeping, Mom was busy making cakes! We loaded up the car and headed to Dad's office, where I had a fun little party. I had more of the yummy banana cake Grandma made me in PA, which Mom thought to freeze for this week, and Dad, Mom and all Dad's coworkers visited and celebrated over our yummy treats. Some of them held me and I showed off my crawling skills. It was fun hearing everyone tell me how cute I am.

After we said goodbye, Mom and I headed to Bicycle Sport Shop to pick up a part for the bike trailer Grandma and Grandpa gave me for my birthday. I got my first taste of spending birthday loot - I used some of Mom-Mom and Pop's gift for an axle and a safety flag.

We went home for some lunch and a nap, and I was again surprised at how busy Mom is while I sleep. This time, she had set up my bike trailer. For our first voyage, we rode over to visit Miguel. He was excited to see my new ride. I really like it, but the one thing I didn't like is my helmet. I don't even like wearing a regular hat, and the helmet is heavy. Mom and Dad say it's too bad - if I want to ride behind a bike, I have to wear it. I guess I'll have to work on getting used to it because riding in the trailer is so fun! Mom's excited too. She said it's much easier than she expected, except up small inclines. She liked it so much, after I went to bed, she put the recycling in it and rode to our neighborhood school to drop it off.

After saying happy birthday to and sharing some cake with my neighbor, Candace, whose birthday is also today, I had a delicious dinner and my final birthday surprise - presents! It was great. I got a puppet, some books and a canopy for my birthday wagon (which I got early, last week) from Mom and Dad. Oma sent a green Cheeky Chick tricycle, which I can't wait to try out tomorrow. Aunt Pat, Uncle Neal, Aunt Susan, and Uncle Stuart sent me a Little Superstar toy, which I really wanted after I saw it at my friend Ellie's birthday party last month. And Mom-Mom, Pop, Great-Grandma Millie and Aunt Micki sent me birthday checks, which I'll save for a car or college. It was really nice of everyone to think of me.

We opened presents just before bedtime, and I am excited to play with everything tomorrow. I'm also looking forward to seeing Bubbe and Papa tomorrow. Something (Dad and Mom) tells me they will have more birthday fun in store for me!

Another thing to celebrate today is this is my 100th blog entry! Thanks to everyone who has commented on it, and who lets me, Mom, and Dad know how much they enjoy it.

All in all, I would say I've had a fun first year. Mom and Dad say it's been the best year of their lives. I can't wait to see what's in store next year! Here are some pictures from my fun first birthday.

Our Cloth Diaper Service

This post is part of a series about my experience wearing cloth diapers, which I decided to include in my blog because a lot of people ask Mom and Dad about it. In previous posts, I talked about why we chose cloth diapers and how cloth diapers work. In this post, I'll tell you about our cloth diaper service.

Mom and Dad really liked the idea of cloth diapers. However, they really didn't like the idea of cleaning them. I don't blame them - yuck! That's probably the biggest reason most people choose disposable diapers. Mom and Dad found a great solution to that problem - Austin Diaper Squad! Previously known as Austin Diaper Service, they are great, because once a week (or more often if necessary) they bring new diapers right to the house and take away the dirty ones. They have super industrial washers that can really get them clean and sanitized. Mom and Dad really like having the diapers delivered right to their door. Plus, as I grow, the diaper service brings the next size up.

Austin Diaper Squad also has a lot of great advice and through their store, Austin Baby, they sell other products for natural babies. Plus, they are really nice! We are very happy with our diaper service, and as long as cloth diapering works for us, we'll continue to do it.

I love summer!

Watermelon: Before
Summer is the best! We had a great weekend.

Mom has been giving me so much squash that I am a little tired of it. So on Saturday morning, Mom and I went to see Miguel. He gave us one of my favorite things, a watermelon!

After my nap that day, I was kind of grouchy, so Dad and Mom took me outside to my backyard pool for a change of scenery, and it worked - it really put me in a better mood. When we went inside, Mom chopped up the watermelon so I could have a snack. Here are some funny before and after pictures of my watermelon adventure.


Watermelon: After Sunday was more fun. We went to the pool at the Jewish Community Center, and had more - you guessed it - watermelon for a snack. Eating watermelon is messy, so Dad and Mom make sure there's a pool nearby they can stick me in after I eat it. I got lots of pool-time and lots of watermelon this weekend.

Mom's hard at work right now, so Sunday night Dad and I helped her out by running to the grocery store. We've never done that by ourselves before, and it was great. Dad took my shopping cart cover and really looked out for me. He even strapped me into the seat.

For pictures of our summer fun and a frog we found on our deck during our one and only rainstorm of the summer last week, click here.

On the move and having fun

Since we came home from Pennsylvania, Mom's been on the run...after me!

Mom and Dad knew I was getting around a lot more, and faster, while we were gone but since we were in a different environment, they didn't really notice how drastic the change was until we got home. Plus now that she has to take care of me by herself all day, Mom can really tell how good I'm getting at crawling, and I'm also keeping her on her toes by clinging to her more than ever. She says she likes all my extra snuggles, but she is really tired by the end of the day.

Since I liked playing in Grandma's kitchen so much, Mom is letting me play in our kitchen now. I even have my own wooden spoon and some Tupperware!

Another new thing since we got home is I got to try a new kind of squash - spaghetti squash. Mom says it's her favorite, but I'm not sure I like it that much. It's kind of stringy.

Fourth of July in Pennsylvania

I had a great time in Pennsylvania this week visiting family and celebrating.

I received a warm welcome when I arrived Tuesday. We had a big party. I got to see my second cousin Luke and his mom, my first cousin once removed, Katie. Luke is two months younger than me, and I'm looking forward to lots of good times with him. My great-grandparents were there too, Pop and Mom-Mom and Great-Grandma B. Mom-Mom read me a fun story, which Katie's mom, Aunt Jane gave me. Aunt Cindy and Uncle Steve, Seth, Mike and Lana were there, and of course Aunt Lauren, Uncle Daniel, and his girlfriend Vanessa. Mom's friend Heather came too. It was fun to be welcomed by such a great crowd! I showed everyone how good I am at crawling and when they first arrived I finally figured out how to go from crawling to sitting, which I've been working on for a week or two. It was pretty exciting.

There were many neat things about my visit to Pennsylvania. Grandma and Grandpa gave me some spiffy new clothes, so I looked like a slick dude all week. There were loads of cool toys for me to play with, and Uncle Daniel showed me how to work a jack-in-the-box. There are also cats everywhere, whom I liked to chase when I could get away from Mom long enough to do it.

The weather was sunny but much cooler , so we spent lots of time outside on a nice swing. We also took a wagon ride and sat in the lawn, where I had a good time pulling out clumps of grass and watching them fall from my hand. Some crazy birds live there. They built a nest for their babies under the garage. Whenever Uncle Daniel goes near it, they attack him by swooping down at his head. It was funny at first, but when we had to go out to the garage to get my the wagon, they attacked us too!

Almost every night we were there, I spent some quality time with Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Lauren while Dad and Mom went out on the town. I don't know what they were doing, but I bet I had more fun than they did! I got to stay up and sleep in later than usual and try some new foods, which was fun. Dad and Mom say that's what grandparents are for!

Thursday we visited Pop and Mom-Mom for lunch. I hopped on Pop, just like in my book, and Mom-Mom gave me Tupperware and a wooden spoon to play with. I liked it so much, Mom says she's never buying me real toys again, and when we got back to Grandma and Grandpa's house, Grandma found some more tupperware and spoons for me to play with there.

Friday was my first 4th of July. It was rainy so we didn't do much for that, and the best part of the day was meeting my Aunt Jen and Uncle Ben, who live in Florida. I had a great time playing with them, and am glad I finally got to meet them.

I'm getting around even more than ever. Mom and Dad say there's a real difference between when we got to Pennsylvania and when we left. They also noticed that the more I get around, the more I get bumped around. They know it's part of it all, but it's still a little scary for them.

The piece de resistance of the trip was my birthday party on Saturday night. My friend Elan lent me his decorations, and Grandma put them up for me (Mom says I will see the decorations again next week). Grandma also made me a delicious banana cake. Everyone else had little cheesecakes, and Grandpa suggested everyone have their own candles so we could all blow them out at the same time. It was cool! Aunt Jen and Uncle Ben gave me some fun animal and shape puzzles that make lots of sounds and Uncle Daniel gave me a See 'n Say, which was his favorite toy when he was little. I also got lots of nice cards, which are like mini-books!

Our flight home was pretty smooth sailing. Everything was on time and Dad and I made friends with the flight attendants on the way home. I played with my See 'n Say and ate more of my yummy cake, so I was pretty happy the whole way back to Austin.

While we were visiting PA, everyone said nice things about my blog. Thank you all for reading it! I've posted some pictures of my fun week.

My new wagon

I have been doing a lot of new things this week. I've been crawling a lot more recently, and much faster. I figured out that if I crawl on my hands instead of my arms, I can get where I'm going much quicker. That's a good thing since I'm a very busy person. Mom and Dad have been giving me a lot of opportunites to crawl around our house and play, and I am bent on exploring every corner of our home, like our drawers. I have figured out how to open them, and I love going through all of the bottom drawers in the house. It's fun opening one, pulling everything out of it, and then moving on to the next one.

I've also been pulling myself up into a standing position. I am getting really good at it. I love pulling myself up up the back of couch and looking out the windows. It's also fun to pull myself up in my crib, put my hands on the crib bars and stare out. My parents say I look like a little jailbird when I do that. It's a much better way to spend my time than napping, I think.

When I'm not crawling or standing, my other favorite thing to do is clap. Mom and Dad are still laughing at it, and I think it's really fun. I like to give myself applause whenever I can. Between that and waving, I am really enjoying my hands.

Today, Mom, Dad, Peepa, Matty, and I all took a walk. But it wasn't just a normal walk. I got to ride in my brand new wagon! It was supposed to be a birthday present for me next month, but we all couldn't wait to take it out sooner. I got to ride all around the neighborhood. We saw other kids and dogs, rode through sprinklers, and hurdled all kinds of bumps. It was quite a journey. I felt like the king of the world in my ride. A neighbor said that we looked like a parade. I really like my birthday present, even though I got it a few weeks early.

Mom, Dad, and I leave this week for another vacation. We get to go visit Grandma and Grandpa in Pennsylvania. I'm excited to see them again, plus my Aunt Lauren, Uncle Daniel, and my great-grandparents. I'm also going to meet my Aunt Jen for the first time. This will be my very first 4th of July, which is supposed to be some kind of holiday. Dad has been telling me about something called fireworks. I am excited to see some. They sound even neater than my ceiling fan that I like to stare at. I also get to go out on Grandma and Grandpa's boat. I haven't ever been on a boat before. I hope its as fun as my wagon. I can't wait to go!

Mom and Dad took a lot of good pictures of me riding in my wagon and playing prisoner in my crib.

Mitch and Friends

This weekend has been one big adventure so far. Friday night, I hung out with my friends Clark and Benjamin at Clark's house. It was really fun. We got there right before my bedtime, and since Clark's too little (he's two months old) to sleep in his crib, I got to test it out for him. The best thing about his bedroom is he has the best nightlight in the world - a huge aquarium. Here's a picture of me looking at it before I went to sleep. When it was time to go home, Mom and Dad were proud of how well I did switching from Clark's house to our car to my bed at home.

It was nice to see Benjamin too. He is about a week and a half older than me, so I'm looking forward to hearing what he thinks about birthdays. He also lives in our neighborhood, and our Mommies used to walk together, just before we were born.

Today I woke up to a fun surprise. Mom fixed me some new things for breakfast - watermelon and pancakes! I loved both and am glad Mom made a lot of pancakes for me so she had plenty to freeze for later. After my nap, I had a pretty exciting lunch as well. Mom and Dad were eating burritos and Mom made me a little burrito in a bowl, with rice, beans and avocado. I ate it up! Mom and Dad were really happy to see me eat the same thing they were having and to see me chew so much. I ate it all without having any of it mashed up or pureed. I am such a good little chewer!

Saturday night I had another adventure. Mom and Dad wanted to hang out with our neighbors, so I ate dinner and went to sleep in my Pack n' Play at their house. This time was a little easier since I didn't have to ride in the car. Mom and Dad say I am an easygoing, happy and flexible little guy. I am glad to have all these new experiences.

Here are pictures of me hanging out with my friends, playing with fish, making faces at Mom, playing in my bath and Peepa making herself at home on Mom's poolside chair.

How Cloth Diapers Work

This post is part of a series about my experience wearing cloth diapers, which I decided to include in my blog because a lot of people ask Mom and Dad about it. In a previous post, I talked about why we chose cloth diapers. In this post, I'll tell you how they work and how it's going so far.

First, for those of you who were wondering, no, we don't use pins. Instead, we hold everything together with something called a Snappi. It just clips on to the diapers, like an Ace bandage clip. It's really easy, and Mom and Dad can really change me fast with them. The cloth diapers are pretty absorbent, but Mom and Dad usually use two of them, just to make sure nothing soaks through. After they put on the diapers with the Snappi, they cover the diapers with a diaper cover. The diaper cover is water resistant, so it keeps me from leaking. The diaper covers have simple velcro attachments and come in solid colors as well as fun designs.

So far, the cloth diapers are working great. I go through a lot of diapers a day. When I was first born, we went through about 230 a week. Since I wear two at a time, that works out to around 115 changes a week! At 11 months, I wear about 95 per week. That's probably more than I would use if I was wearing disposables. Since I feel it right away, I can let everyone know when I need to be changed.

Right now, we all love cloth diapering, and we'll continue to do it as long as it works for us.